Community of Readers

Community of Readers

First Year Academic Experience Committee

The Community of Readers is one of two initiatives of the First Year Academic Experience Advisory Committee, a university-wide group of faculty and staff members dedicated to providing our incoming students with a welcoming, challenging and successful first year at UHV. Coupled with the First Year Seminar, the Community of Readers expands the academic climate at UHV for our incoming students.

Mission

The Community of Readers program is designed to establish a common academic experience between first year students and the larger community by offering a common reading that provides cross-disciplinary perspectives, generates discussions and fosters the exchange of diverse ideas. To help promote a shared experience, the Community of Readers program encourages students to attend speaker presentations and events associated with the common reader.
The goals of the Community of Readers are:

Create a shared academic experience that promotes a sense of community

Encourage students to engage in informal discussions with fellow students and faculty

Explore the common reader from interdisciplinary perspectives

Book Selection Rationale

After much deliberation and consideration, the committee adopted ‘Ready Player One’ by Ernest Cline for the 2014-2015 academic year. The book was selected because of its interdisciplinary scope, references to pop culture, and because the nature of the story provides numerous opportunities for associated activities, films and speakers to augment the experience of the book.

Book Selection Process for Future

Selection of the book for the 2015-2016 academic year will begin early in late 2014. Book nominations will be accepted via our website and all suggested books will be considered by the committee.* Books under consideration will be evaluated based upon:

applicability of the book to the Community of Readers mission

ability of the book to promote cross-disciplinary perspectives

opportunities for associated activities, events and speakers

Suggestions for books to be considered are both welcomed and encouraged. Please see the 'Book Suggestions' link on our website.